


Broadway Magic

by MicrosuedeMouse



Category: The Muppets - All Media Types, The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
Genre: Cheesy, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 13:22:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13214640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MicrosuedeMouse/pseuds/MicrosuedeMouse
Summary: After the success of opening night, Ronnie and Jenny celebrate with their friends and then go for a walk.





	Broadway Magic

**Author's Note:**

> This is not my best work - this is some flat-out cheesy shit. But: so is this movie, in the best possible way. (Hopefully I captured that marvellous brand of 80s Muppet cheese.) Part of me was always bummed these two never got together onscreen, and I wrote this down in one sitting after I last watched the movie a couple months ago. I recently decided to try to clean up and post as many of 2017's WIPs as possible, so here it is. Just for fun.

After the show, everyone was so excitable and noisy and full of adrenaline that it was impossible to carry a conversation. Soon after the show, Jenny grabbed Ronnie by the wrist and charged fearlessly into the vast crowd of animals until they could find and congratulate Kermit and Piggy, and he watched with a smile as she leaned down and threw her arms around the couple, overwhelmed with her excitement for them.

Before long the audience was gone and the crew was waiting to clean the theatre and lock up for the night, so the cast was ushered out into the street and, reluctant to part ways, they flowed through the streets until they found a bar to fill. Ronnie lost track of Jenny for a while when his father pulled him aside to congratulate him on a job incredibly well done and talk about the possibilities for the show’s future. Finally, seeing how restless Ronnie was, Bernard sighed, rolled his eyes, and told him to go celebrate. Ronnie grinned and went to rejoin the cast.

Jenny was deep in conversation with Rowlf when Ronnie found her, the two of them discussing the work they had done for the show – Jenny designing costumes, Rowlf writing music. It was an easy conversation for Ronnie to slip into naturally: “You both did amazing jobs. I’d be more than happy to work with you both again.”

“Really?” Jenny asked excitedly. “You think you’ll get the chance?”

“Well, maybe!” he admitted, sitting down next to her. “My dad seems really impressed with how this went, and if it continues to go well, I think I’m set! I mean, that was our deal – I get one shot to start with, to prove I can do it, and then if I succeed I get to do it again.”

“Well, that’s great, Ronnie!” Rowlf said, clapping the man on the shoulder. “I hope you’re right! I’ve only known you two weeks, but you’ve been a great producer to work with!”

“Yeah, Ronnie, that’s so exciting!” Jenny piped. “Are you already thinking about your next show?”

He laughed. “This has all happened so fast I’ve barely had time to think about _this_ one yet,” he answered. “But I know I’ve loved the process, and you’ve all been a dream to work with. I mean, two weeks of preparation time seems _nuts_ , but wow, you pulled it together amazingly.”

“Don’t sell yourself short!” Jenny pointed out. “You worked really hard and did so much!”

Ronnie didn’t get a chance to answer that, because Scooter ran up to their table shouting for Rowlf. “Rowlf! There’s a piano over here! Will you play us a song? We want to dance!”

“Well, sure!” Rowlf answered, getting out of his seat to follow Scooter back through the crowd.

Jenny and Ronnie exchanged smiles, and then she grabbed his hand. “Come on. Let’s dance too!”

“Oh?” He let her pull him from his spot, unable to suppress his grin as she led the way to the dance floor. Rowlf began to play a jaunty tune, and Jenny spun to face Ronnie, catching his free hand in hers and beginning to dance. He laughed and joined in, with no will nor desire to resist her.

It was hours later when the bar was finally almost empty. In the chaos of the party, Gonzo had officially proposed to Camilla, Yolanda had finally given in and danced with Rizzo, Lew Zealand had fallen asleep under a table next to Janice, the Swedish Chef had taken over the bar kitchen, and Dr. Teeth had composed at least three new songs inspired by Kermit and Piggy’s marriage. They had finally seen Kermit and Piggy off for the night, and following that most folks had gone home. “I think it’s time to head out for the night,” Jenny said reluctantly as she and Ronnie polished off a basket of fries. “I’m pretty tired.”

“You might be right,” he answered, balling up their napkins and dropping them in the basket before getting up and taking it back to the bar. He grabbed their jackets from the coatrack on his way back, politely holding Jenny’s up for her to put on as she got to her feet. She smiled brightly. “Can I walk you home?” he offered.

“Sure, Ronnie, that would be lovely,” she answered softly. She took his arm and they walked together out into the brisk NYC night. “It’s not too far.”

They walked quietly for a minute or two, smiling to themselves, before Jenny asked, “Did you mean what you said earlier, about working together again?”

“Oh, absolutely!” Ronnie said, turning to look at her. “You’re fantastic at what you do, and wonderful to work with as well! I’d love to have you on any show!”

Her smile lit her right up. “Aw, Ronnie, you’re too kind!” Biting her lip, she added, “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Well, you remember that fashion school I applied to a few weeks back?” She glanced at him, and he nodded. “Well… I got my acceptance letter this morning!”

“What? Really? Jenny, that’s great news!” Ronnie stopped in his tracks and pulled his arm apart from hers to offer her a congratulatory hug, and she accepted, laughing as he lifted her up off her feet for a second. “Why would that be a secret?”

“Oh, I didn’t want to mention it yet, with how much was going on today!” she told him, taking his arm again as they continued their walk. “You’re the first person I’ve told. Not even my dad knows yet.”

“He’s going to be so excited for you,” he assured her. “ _I’m_ so excited for you! Imagine how much you’ll learn! You’ll be even better than you already are!”

Jenny grinned at the ground. “I’m pretty excited, too,” she said. “It’s a good school, and not even far away, so I don’t have to worry about moving away from you and Dad and everyone else!”

“That’s fantastic!” he told her. “And here I was going to offer to come visit you.”

She laughed. “Well, you’re still welcome to visit me any time you like,” she answered.

“Glad to hear it,” Ronnie said, smiling at her again. Their eyes met for a moment, and then they both looked away, shyly. He scuffed the toe of his shoe against the sidewalk, thinking as he walked. Then, realizing that they were within a few blocks of the apartment she shared with her father, he managed an awkward, “Hey, Jenny?”

“Yeah?”

He made the mistake of glancing at her, catching her shy smile, and he lost his nerve. “You – you look really nice tonight,” he stammered.

“Oh, thank you!” she answered, delighted. She looked down, smoothing a hand down her skirt. “I made it just for the occasion! I was nervous about it, but I think it turned out well…”

“You made it?” he asked, surprised for some reason. “It’s really lovely. You’re very talented… I can’t wait to see what you can do once you’ve actually gone to school for it.”

“You’re too sweet,” Jenny told him, biting down her smile.

Ronnie closed his eyes for a second, trying to gather his willpower. Taking a deep breath, he started, “So, um… listen, I know we haven’t known each other very long.” She was looking at him, and he glanced away, afraid he wouldn’t get it all out if he maintained eye contact. “But, um, we’ve spent a _lot_ of time working together and searching for Kermit in these last two weeks, and… well, you know, I think we’ve gotten along really well. And I think you’re a really great girl. And, um, you know, I was thinking that maybe, uh… that maybe you’d like to go on a date sometime?” Out of breath, he forced himself to meet her eye again.

She was beaming at him.

“I’d really love that,” she told him, her hand slipping down his arm and gently locking fingers with his. “I think you’re really great, too… and, well, besides missing Kermit, the last two weeks have been a bit of a dream.”

“Yeah?” he asked, smiling nervously. “I’m… glad you think so. Yeah, I’ve really… really enjoyed getting to know you so far.”

Jenny nodded, and they were quiet for a few seconds as they turned onto her block. “Where should we go for our first date?” she asked, looking up at him as they walked up the brick path to her apartment building’s front doors.

Ronnie’s heart thudded when she looked at him with that wonderful smile, and he blanked. “I-I can get us Broadway tickets,” he blurted. He regretted it the moment it came out of his mouth, but she only laughed gently and put her arms loosely over his shoulders.

“And I know a great little Italian place we could go to for dinner,” she added, amused. “I bet I could even get us a discount.”

“Yeah?” he asked, laughing a little nervously himself. “That sounds great.”

“It sure does,” she agreed. “You get those tickets and let me know when they’re for, and I’ll get us reservations.” He nodded, still smiling and looking a little dazed, and she smiled back as she leaned in to kiss him gently.

Ronnie made a tiny, surprised noise in the back of his throat, but she hadn’t pulled away just yet, so he placed his hands lightly on Jenny’s waist. She was smiling against his lips, and his stomach burst with butterflies.

She finally pulled away, resting her head on his shoulder to give him a hug. He hugged her back, smiling into her hair. “Thanks for walking me home,” she said softly.

“A-any time,” he told her.

“Night, Ronnie. See you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow,” he confirmed with a nod as she finally pulled back and turned towards the door, placing a final peck on his cheek as she went by. Once she was safely inside, he tucked his hands in his pockets, whistling the finale tune from Manhattan Melodies as he headed home.


End file.
